1. Technical Field
The present application relates generally to an improved data processing system and method. More specifically, the present application is directed to a context enhanced messaging and collaboration system.
2. Description of Related Art
Instant messaging is a relatively new technology that allows users to send textual messages virtually instantly to recipients via a communications network. Instant messaging differs from electronic mail services in that textual conversations are able to happen in realtime. Instant messaging requires the use of a client program that connects to an instant messaging service. Most services offer a presence information feature, indicating whether people on a user's list, i.e. a “buddy list,” of contacts are currently online and available to chat.
In early instant messaging programs, each letter appeared as it was typed, and when letters were deleted to correct typographical errors, this was also seen in real time. This made early instant messaging programs more like a telephone conversation than exchanging letters. In modern instant messaging programs, the other party in the conversation generally only sees each line of text right after a new line is started. Most instant messaging applications today also include the ability to set a status message, roughly analogous to the message on a telephone answering machine, for informing other parties in an instant messaging session of a status of the party that is not available.
Instant messaging typically boosts communication and allows easy collaboration. In contrast to electronic mail messages or using the telephone, the parties of an instant messaging session know whether the other party is available. On the other hand, people are not forced to reply immediately to incoming messages. This way, communication via instant messaging can be less intrusive than communication via phone, which is partly a reason why instant messaging has become more and more important in corporate environments. In addition, the fact that instant messages typically are logged in a local message history closes the gap with the persistent nature of electronic mail messages, facilitating quick, safe, and persistent exchange of information.
Recently, improvements to instant messaging services have been developed to allow the users to share media files as part of an instant messaging session. For example, in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2005/0262204, a system is provided in which a user may share information about media that the user is listening to with other users in an instant messaging session via a status indicator. When other users in the instant messaging session select the status indicator, a media server may stream the same or similar media as the media to which the first user is listening, to the other users in the instant messaging session.
In U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2005/0132056, GUI-based instant messaging mechanisms are described that support the processing of still images, real time images, text data, and information about particular users. Such instant messaging mechanisms support the exchange of attachments, which are electronic files such as images, documents, audio files, video files, or binary objects, which can be attached to an instant message and transmitted therewith from a sender to a recipient. For example, during an instant messaging exchange, in addition to seeing the text typed by a participant, a business user can view the video recording of a keynote speech, listen to the audio of a message recorded on a colleague's voicemail system, or simply receive such files as attachments to instant message communications.
While these mechanisms facilitate the communication of additional information beyond merely the text messages in an instant messaging session, they rely on the users themselves to locate the additional files, objects, etc., to be attached to the instant messages and to actually perform the active steps of attaching the files, objects, etc. to the instant messages, or setting the status indicator in the case of U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2005/0262204. There is no mechanism for automatically identifying related files, objects, etc. and providing them to a user in an instant messaging session for exchange between the user and other users in the instant messaging session. Moreover, there is no mechanism for automatically exchanging such related files, objects, etc. between users in an instant messaging session without requiring user intervention.